Column | Pitt athletes who excelled in their final year

As the semester winds down, many students anticipate the long-awaited break from campus and classes. But before that can happen, students must make one last push through the upcoming finals week.

With the fall semester quickly ending, let’s take some time to reflect on some student-athletes who had memorable careers and played for their final seasons as Panthers this fall semester. 

Football 

Pitt football (3-9, 2-6 ACC) wrapped up their 2023 season with some highs and lows for the team and players. There are a few familiar faces who had some great performances during their time as Panthers that fans won’t see back at Acrisure Stadium next year. 

Senior wide receiver Bub Means transferred to Pitt from Louisiana Tech in 2022 and quickly made a name for himself here. Last season, he had 27 receptions for 401 yards and two touchdowns for the season. He also played a crucial role in the Panthers’ Sun Bowl win against UCLA last December. This season he improved even more, averaging 60.1 yards per game and putting up six touchdowns for the Panthers this fall. 

Senior defensive back M.J. Devonshire came to Pitt for the 2021 season and put in an enormous amount of defensive work for the Panthers during his time here. His most notable play was his pick-six late in the fourth quarter that won the Panthers the 2022 Backyard Brawl game against West Virginia. He also served as Pitt’s primary punt returner, leading the ACC and ranked 12th nationally in punt return average during his 2022 season. 

Soccer 

Both Pitt men’s and women’s soccer had impressive runs this season. Women’s soccer had a historic season, reaching its first-ever Elite Eight appearance. 

After falling to Florida State, there’s one player whose skill and ability the Panthers will miss next season. Fifth-year forward Amanda West was an asset to this Panthers team throughout her career in Pittsburgh. She was selected to the All-ACC Second and Third Team and was named to the United Soccer Coaches’ All-Atlantic Region Second and Third Team. West was also picked for the All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Academic Honor Roll three times each. Lastly, she leads the program in multiple career statistical categories such as points, points per game, goals, goals per game, overtime goals, penalty kick goals, game-winning goals and career three-plus point games.

Men’s soccer had a solid season, which came to an end with their first-round loss to James Madison in the NCAA tournament last month. 

There’s one player who has made substantial contributions to this Pitt team over the years and has just wrapped up his final season as a Panther. Senior midfielder Filip Mirkovic has amassed a long list of accolades during his time period as a Panther. Even as a first-year, Mirkovic made a name for himself, earning All-ACC Freshman Team and CollegeSoccerNews All-Freshman Team honors. From there, he’s gone on to receive other honors, such as making the TopDrawerSoccer’s Best XI Third Team and TopDrawerSoccer’s Men’s Top 100 Postseason List at No. 31. 

Mirkovic’s 12 assists during the 2022 season marked a new program record in a season. These 12 assists also led the ACC and ranked sixth in the NCAA.

Basketball and Volleyball

Although their seasons haven’t yet finished, both basketball and volleyball have already seen some stellar performances from their senior players.

Senior forward Blake Hinson is arguably one of the most valuable players for Pitt men’s basketball currently. He averaged 15.3 points per game and scored in double figures 30 times with 15 or more points in a game on 19 occasions in his 2022 season. He ranks third all-time in program history for three-point field goals made in a season and has already made 30 in the seven games played so far in this 2023 season.

For volleyball, senior outside hitter Cat Flood is a consistently valuable player to the Panthers this year. As a first-year, she helped the Panthers make it to their first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in program history. 

In her 2022 season, she helped the Panthers to a 17-1 conference record and the most wins in a single season since 1990. This season, she’s had several kills and digs for the Panthers, and will hopefully help her team punch their ticket to the Elite Eight once again with a win against Washington State this upcoming Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Fitzgerald Field House.